The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1887-10-25
HAYNES SHOT DOWN.
During A Pistol Duel Between
Two Men.
BLALoCK AND MCANTS AT WAR.

GAINESVILLE, Ca, October 22.-TSpecial. /
A tragedy took place at Hoschton, jackson
county, a station on the Gainesville, Jefferson
and Southern railroad, about S-a. M, in front
of Hosch Bros. store, the parties engaged in
the affair being William b. McCants, a mer-
chant of Hoschton, and Joe Blaloclz, Palmour
& Smiths bookkeeper, of Gainesville. Your
correspondent, after some inquiries as to the
cause of the difficulty, was put in possession of
the following facts:
THE CAUSE STATED.
Mr.. Blalocl owns farm in jackson county
about one mile from Hoschton, which he rent
ed to man by the name of l\ilgore for the
year 1887, and furnished him rations to enable
him to make his crop. Kilgore refused to pay
for the advancement, and Blalock sued and
obtained judgment. Some cotton belonging
to Kilgore was levied upon, and he filed an
illegality to the execution. Being justice court
day, Mr.. Blalock, with his counsel, ex-Judge
j. B. Estes and Mr.. w. f. Findlay, went
down on the early train TO Hoschton, arriving
there about o'clock. Judge Estes had took
breakfast before leaving home, but Blalock
and Findlay left without eating, Blalock talk
ing lunch with him. On their arrival at
Hoschton, Blalock and Findlay repaired to the
store of Hosch Bros, where they lunched,
during which time Mr.. w. B. McCants walked
into the store, and passing by Blalock and
Findlay, halted a few steps beyond them, and
was engaged in looking at something when
Mr.. Blalock advanced to where he stood and
said:
THE CHALLENGE TO FIGHT.
"Bill, I understand that you said that was
no better than id rogue. Did you say it?"
Mr.. McCants made some reply to the query,
which was not satisfactory, and, turning
around, walked toward the front door. When
about thirty or forty feet from Blalock, he
stopped, faced about and walked up directly in
front of Blalock, and said:
"Joe, you are armed, and am not'
Blalock, pulling out two Smith & Wesson
double-acting revolyers, one thirty-eight and
one thirty-two calibre, said
That shall not be in the way. Here are
two pistols. Fake your choice, and we will
shoot it out"
McCants made no reply, but soon disappeared
revolvers away and returned to his lunch, In
about five minutes McCants came to the front
door of the store, armed with double-barreled
shotgun, and asked Mr.. Russ
was in the store and added that he intended to
shoot him on the spot. Mr.. Hosch hurried to
where Blalock and Findley stood, and told
Blalock that McCants was at the front door,
armed with double-barreled gun, and was
going
TO SHOOT HIM DOWN.
Blalock at once stepped to the front door, but
was detained by Hosch, who took his arm and
insisted upon him not going farther, but
Blalock urged Mr.. Hosch to let him loose, and
when Hosch released his ARM Blaloc6 stepped
to the front door and down TO the ground, and
holding his hands up said:
"lf you are coward enough to shoot me
with doube-barreled shot gun, when you
know that have none, and when you refused
to fightme with pistols, go ahead"
McCants was about ten PAGES from Blalock
at this time, and he stepped few steps to the
rear, his gun still in the position of ready.
About this time Mr.. Haynes, a section boss on
the railroad, and Jim Beard ran up and took
hold of the gun, Haynes being in front OF Nc
Giants and between him and Blalock. Nc
Giants had his left hand on the gun, while
Haynes held it with his right, the barrels ele-
waited. McCantS drew a revolver and fired at
Blalocl1 by reaching around Mr.. Haynes, but
the ball failed to hit its mark, and again from
his safe position he reached around Mr..
Haynes and let drive another leaden messon-
ger at Blalock, who stood fully exposed to bull
lets and with empty hands McCants still con-
tinued to throw his bullets, and Blalock whip
ping out his No. 80 began to swap balls with
him. After two shots Blalock's revolver failed
to act. He threw it down upon the ground,
and drew his 49, but before firing some one
said that
HAYNES WAS KILLED,
and not to shoot again. When Haynes fell to
the ground, McCants got down behind him,
and here the shooting ceased. Blalock went
to Hoschton on business, and did not expect to
see McCants, but from threats that Kilgore
had made, he thought it likely that he might
have difficulty with him. 1t is uncertain as
to who shot Mr.. Haynes, as the shooting was
general, and while it is hoped that he viii re-
cover, his life hangs by brittle thread, as the
ball passed entirely through his body, having
entered below his right shoulder and coming
out through his left breast Mr. Blalock was
at his post today, and while he regrets very
much that Mr.. Haynes was shot, he says that
he feels
JUSTIFIED IN PROTECTING HIMSELF
against Mr., McCant's desperate efforts to kill
him. Mr.. Blalock is brother to Billie Bla-
lock, now deceased, who was so well and IA
vorably known in Atlanta. He has a wife and
two children, andis one among the best book
keepers in the state, His friends concur with
him in his opinion that he is justifabe in act
ing as he diL, and they will stay with him till
the last day in the morning.